Frame construction



Feb. 25, 1947.

M. H. WOLF FRAME CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct; 19; 1944 FIG. 5

Feb. 25, 194.7. M. H. WOLF 2,416,659

FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENT OR.

Patented Feb. 25, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,416,659 FRAME CONSTRUCTION I Morris H Wolf," Cleveland, Ohio Applicationoctober 19, 1944, Serial NO. 559,416

' I 4 Claims.- (01. its-Q 6) This invention relates to frames and particularly to collapsible or knock-down frames suitable for use, when assembled, for panes of win dow glass, wire screen, pictures or fiat decorations.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a knock-down frame of the type stated that is easy and economical to ship or transport individually or in large quantities, and which will nevertheless, when assembled, stay securely and rigidly locked, like a frame that is permanently joined.

A further object is to provide a frame, the members and sections of which are easily separated for the insertion of Or the replacement of a pane of glass, a sheet of wire mesh or other flat Object, picture, mirror, or fiat decoration.

Another object is to provide an article of this type that is economical to manufacture and use, which requires no tools or apparatus of any kind for assembly, and only a simple small pryin tool for disassembly and which may be. so used by persons of ordinary skill or ability.

These and other objects of the invention will be discerned from a reading of the following description and claims, together with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to and indicate like parts, and

wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of av corner of a frame made in accordance with this invention and showing a part of a panel inserted therein;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a corner of the frame with a portion thereof removed;

Figure 3 is 'a rear elevational' view of a corner of the frame with a portion thereof removed;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a corner of the frame assembled;

Figure 5 is a side view of a corner of the frame assembled; and 4 v Figure 6 is an exploded view of the various parts of the frame. 7

This invention primarily consists of parallel pairs of border members which are assembled and arranged to form a rectangular frame. The novel feature of this invention lies in the means and method of connecting the border members together at the frame corners, and since each of the corners are substantially the same. for the'purpose of simplicity only one corner will be described and claimed.

Each vertical or first border member consists of an outer strip portion and an inner strip portion, indicated and referred to by the reference characters H and 2t respectively. Each 2 horizontal or second border member consists of an outer strip portion and an inner strip por.-. tion which are respectively referred to and dicated by the reference characters! 3| and 4!.

Each of these portions will be described in detail hereinafter and in the order just set forth.

The first and outer strip portion of the verti cal border member consists of a grooved piece of metal, somewhat U shaped, and which has a fiat flange extending along one side thereof and in planar alignment with the base of the U shaped groove. In the Figure 6 of the drawing, the strip portion II shows the first wall I3 of the groove I 2 as being aligned with the outer edge of the strip of metal. The second wall In of the groove is parallel with the first wall l3 but spaced from the other longitudinal edge of the strip of metal. The two inside facing walls I3 and l3a are provided with longitudinal recesses 14 which will receive the hereinafter described beads 24.

The. inner wall l3a is broken near its outer end and the small portion of the wall I3a adjacent to the end of the strip is referred to and indicated as an ear [5. When the frame is as! sembled the ear I5 passes through the slot '35 and fits into the notch 45 of the other related portions.

The inner strip portion of the first or vertical border member, indicated by the reference character 2|, is also a fiat piece of metal butv ha a rectangular bar integral therewith instead of a groove. This bar is referred to and indicated as a rib 22,. .It ru s, along the outer edge of the strip portion 2!. The rib 22 is made to fit the groove 12 and it has longitudinal beads 24 there.- on which fit into and tightly engage the aforesaid recesses 14. The inner and outer strip portions snap together and lock in the assembled position.. They may, however, be pried apart with a screw d iver, knife or sim a tool. The end f t e ib 22 is s ght-1 sh o t e end-of the strip andtlie pen port on of the st i there is referred to as the tab 25.' This cut away or eroded portion or tab 25 at the end of the strip 2| receives the end of the inner strip portion 4! of the adjacent horizontal member.

The outer strip portion 3i of the horizontal member is substantially the same as the heretofore described strip H. Its engaging end is diffferent, however. This strip has a corresponding groove 32 formed by the two parallel walls 33 and 33a respectively, and which runs along the outer edge of the strip. The groove 32 also has are face to face and are substantially on the same plane.

The inner strip portion 4| of the second or horizontal member is made out of the same bar stock as the strip portion 2|. It also has a longitudinal rib 42. Its rib also-has beads 44 which stood that those changes and modifications also should be considered as being within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, without limiting myself to the precise structure illustrated or to the specific use set forth and described, I claim:

1. In a frame, a first border member consisting of an outer strip portion having a longitudinal groove therein and anear on the endthereof, and'an inner strip portion having a longitudinal rib thereon and a tab on the end thereof; and

.. a second border member consisting of an outer strip portion having a longitudinal groove therein and a slot at the end thereof, and an inner strip portion having a longitudinal rib thereon and a notch at theend thereof; the said inner'strip portions being receivable by the outer strip porengage or fit into the recesses 34 in the portion.v 1

3|. It differs from the former portion in that its rib 42 extends slightly beyond the end of the Strip. When assembled with the portion 2|, the extended portion of the rib 42 lies over the tab and the bases or planar surfaces are face to face and substantially on the same plane. v The assembled members ||2| and 3|--4| are brought together at a right angle and when the portions are snapped together at their respective beads and recesses 24-!4 and 44-34, and when the ear I5 is projected through the slot 35 and into the notch 45, the frame is complete. When the portion H and Hand 3| and 4| are assembled, they form at their facing fianges or wider parts, channels 52 which receive and firmly retain a glass panel 53 or a wire screen, a picture or any other fiat panel. The panel or glass pane 53 must, of course, be placed and positioned before the outer portions H and 3| are closed with the inner portions 2| and 4|.

7 In order to provide a more secure assembly and one which will resist vibration which might otherwise loosen the inner and outer strip portions, each member is drilled and tapped for a small screw 5|. This is clearly shown in the Figure 3 of the drawing. One such screw 5| between the ends of'each border member passing through the base of the grooves in the two outer strip portions and engaging the ribs 22 and 42 is sufiicient to hold the frame together for all practical purposes. At this point, it should be noted that a disassembled frame consisting of eight strip portions, four of which are grooved and four of which are'ribbed, anda few simple screws, may be nested and fitted together into a relatively small package for easy and economical transportation.

While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it is to be understood that the embodiment thereof as specifically set forth is suggestive only and is not to be considered in a limiting sense. Since many changes may be made in the arrangement of the particular elements shown and described and since other uses may be found for the invention than those "specifically set forth, it should also be undertions and the said ear engaging the said slot and the said notch. I

2. In a frame, a first border member consisting of 'an outer strip portion having a longitudinalgroove' therein and an ear on the end thereof,

and an innerstrip portion having a longitudinal rib thereon and av tab on the end thereof; a second border member consisting of an outer strip portion having a longitudinalgroove therein and a slot at the end thereof,-and an inner strip portion having a longitudinal rib thereon'and a notch at the end thereof; the'said inner strip portions being receivable by the outer strip portions and the said ear engaging the said slot and the said notch, each pair of the said outer and inner strip portions forming alateral channel; and a means adjacent to the said ends for locking the respective portions together. 7 V

3. In a frame, a first border member consisting of a grooved portion having ears on the ends thereof and a ribbed portion having tabs on the ends thereof, and a second border member consisting of a grooved portion having slots in the ends thereof and a ribbed portion having notches in the ends thereof, the said ribbed portions being receivable by the respective grooved portions and the said ears, being engaged by the said slots and the said notches, and a means on the said members intermediate the ends of the said portions fastening the portions together.

. 4. A framedevice of the type defined in claim 3.

and further characterized by the said grooved portions having recesses therein and the said ribbed portions having beadsthereon receivable by the said recesses.

MORRIS H. WOLF. 1 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

